Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Wishes(22nd November 2012)
From 101lifeStyle.com

How To Add Flavor To A Turkey Before Roasting?
The turkey needs to be moistened prior to roasting so that it cooks evenly and is flavorful and moist. You could achieve this by using rubs or injections or brining or several of these techniques combined.

Rubs: A basic rub made of unsalted butter can also do wonders and add to the flavor of the meat as well as moistens it. You could rub the outer surface of the raw turkey to coat well and also rub underneath the skin directly onto the meat by lifting the skin and stuffing with the butter rub.
A rub made up of dry herbs can also be used to add flavor only to the meat. You could use these herbs in combination with butter and use on the raw brined meat. Make a paste using salt, plus herbs and spices such as pepper, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and crushed bay leaves. Just before roasting coat the meat with this rub. You could add different flavor by mixing unsalted butter with, lemon, white wine, or maple syrup and coating the meat with it prior to roasting.

Injections: This technique is equivalent to self-basting, only it is done at home just before roasting, using homemade all-natural basting solutions. You could use poultry injectors to inject lemon infused olive oil or garlic-infused olive oil, white wine, rosemary and thyme infused oil or chicken stock directly into the breast and thigh of the turkey. This will moisten as well as add to the flavor.

Brining: Follow your recipe, brining instructions. Most recipes use 2 gallons of water to 2 pounds of salt for a 4-6 hour soak. If you prefer to brine overnight, decrease the amount of salt by half. You can also add sugar, spices, or aromatics for additional flavor. The best and safest way to brine is to submerge the turkey, breast side up in the brine solution and covering it and leaving it in the refrigerator. Do not brine kosher turkeys as they have already been brined. After brining, rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry.

Arranging The Turkey For Roasting: Buy a roasting pan and rack specially suited for roasting large turkeys, having stainless steel surface and turkey lifters. You could place the bird breast side down so that the white tender meat is not over-cooked. However, for the last hour, you would have to remove the pan and flip the meat over with the breast side up. You could also roast the bird breast-side up. You then would need to cover the breast with a double thick layer of buttered aluminum foil or cheesecloth to prevent it from getting overcooked. Remove it an hour before it's done, allowing it become dark and crisp.

After placing the brid on the pan, you need to tie the legs of the bird together loosely with kitchen twine. Tuck the wings under the shoulder so that the meat is uniformly heated.

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